The bay that I am staying in called Ao Yai (Big Bay) is home to some pretty decent surf on this quaint island in the west of Thailand. I say "decent" because it definitely isn't world class but it is a very easy place to learn to surf and Bubble Bar is the spot to head to if you are interested in that. I did not surf, but hung out here and the ambiance was really cool.
While the place wasn't busy because it is now past high-season I have been here in the past and it was absolutely booming. However, there was still a decent crowd of people, most of who were going to and from the beach on their body boards, SUP (stand up paddle) boards, and of course surfboards.
You can rent the boards here or get lessons from professional instructors. The prices seem fair but to be honest it was a little expensive compared to just about everything else on the island. However, you have to understand that I have no idea what a surfboard rental or lessons should cost so don't take my word for it. It looked like it was going to be around $70 for a full day's lesson.
We were not here for the surfing though, we were here for the sunset beverages.
Although every bar on this beach has access to the same sunset, there was something about the light music and comfortable chairs that made Bubble Bar a favorite of mine for exactly this. I feel as though we got a good one tonight. This might be because where i live in Chiang Mai the pollution has been so bad that I haven't actually seen the sun at all in a couple months.
The drinks were average price and although we didn't have them, the cocktail menu was plentiful and featured a wide array all at around $5 each (which isn't bad considering our remote location.) Overall, if you are staying on this bay you would probably notice this lively place anyway, but if you find yourself on Koh Phayam someday, you should definitely check out Bubble Bar. Good times!